Method of making trussed structures



July 10, 1928. Y 1,676,258

' c. H. FORK METHOD OF MAKING TRSSED'STRUCT'RES Filed Feb.. 11, 1924 I .HN

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l, *Passant ifo; w28. i i 5 4ogrfinnrlns.1er. FoRK, .on Daemon, iirclreamnssieivo oridonne-rifiutareWILLIAM 1 RUSH; :OFI- DEARBGRMMIGHIGAN.

application filed July 192.2,1

i' This inventionrelatesA generally totru'ssed structures and' refers more particularly to .thev method of mai'nii'a cturingrh sucht' struc i v turesQV 5 `1 One ofthe essential' objects Aof' thefinven# structure that is capablefof'beingjusedjfor various lpurposes such asin the metal ,con-l struction of buildings bridges andthe like ,w andas. reinforcing members'in concrete conev struct-,ions` i f Anothe object is'to provide ai metallic truss composed of relatively few 'parts'which 4are' so'arranged that "thestresses-throughout l 15 the'length of the trussafre'economicallyprof vided for.

L l Another object to reducethe' `'cost Vmanu:facturing to a minimum kas hereinafter With the above and other objects in view the'invention4 consistsinf'certain novel' fea'- ture's'if construction will lbe Ymore' fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims".V-` Y.

This'application isa divisional of my co-. pending application, Serial Number 572,694,-

l i filed July 3, 1922 fortrussed structures and method for making thesame. Y

In the accompanyingl drawing:A Figure 1 is an elevation of av blank which v is employed in the construction of the truss; Figure 2 is a similar viewV showing Vthe blank afterfcthevslitting operation;

Figure 3 is asimilar view showing the blank after the cutting operation;

Y ltionis to provide "a smplehform of trussed v Y same along a single straight lineor along a broken linef'partially or entirely inclined downward toward one or both supports. These chords are usually composed oftvvo Y angle Vmembers .arranged back to back upon opposite sides of a plurality of gusset plates.A

i 5o. Aligned holes are usually drilled or punched through the angle members and gusset plates to receive bolts, rivets or other securing elements. This form of construction necessitatesthe handling of a large number ofparts and" 'also involves; considerabletime" to-"nialte the numeroiistlioles'to receivethej'securiirg el'emerits.v' `Moreover5`^isapparent that accuracies 'are apttoarise'in-'the attempt to drill:V4 orffpixnohftlielargefnumber of holes that areV required' to be; spaced exactly the same distance. apart` in :thechcrd members'. 1

lVith-the presentinvention, howeverythe gusset: plates vare formed* integral with'the VchordV members and the" "objectionable" fa; Y

tures 'j ustv referred 'tofare entirely overcome; In' detail, the'fnumeral" vl designates' a blank which isfemployed in-{the construction' :of my truss.` "Ihfislblanlcmayf be. made of any suit;

able",materialjand'maybe made'x in various dierent forms in ;cro'ss=section', but.V

erably fa steel I -beamry orch'annel l 'Iii :the-1 process of' constructiomthe i webf-- portion Qofthe' blank isslit' 'along'aline having alternate'Eportion'sj dispose'd "upon opp'o'sitesides lof: its longitudinal' axis and spectivcly, having spaced* integral gusset plates 7 of uniform Widths and lengths The gusset plates 7 A extending from one chord member are .offset with respect tothe plates extending from the other chord member. While the'outer edges of the `gusset plates 'Tiare shown parallel tothe flanges 8 of the blank,` it is obvious that the Webportion 2 of the blank'maybe slit in any desired manner to produce gusset plates of various shapes and designs according tothe particular load for which the truss is designed.

in the y general application of- .trusses the chord stresses V'are atl4 a maximum. in the panels at or near the center of the trussl and; consequently these panels may befmade relativelylarge and thev corresponding gus'- sets relatively small, rwhile the panels ad# Vjacent the supports may lbe made relatively small and their correspondinggusset plates relatively large. vThis construction is highly desirable and permissible due to the fact that 9o In this connectionit will be Vapparent that 'ii the shearing l stresses adjacent the supports are at maximum and consequently `a large" gussetv plate isfnee'ded whilejthe. shearing105 v stresses at the center of the truss is almost negligible and accordinglyV a .small gusset vplate will suffice.

Thus by splitting'a beam Y, i

in this mannerthe metaly is distributedprof is preti: 7,0 l

portionally to thestresses. The'vslitti'ng may be accomplished by any suitable means "with the blank inV heated or cold condition as may .befouiidd'esirable 1 After the slit-ting operationitheV vveightof each chord member is reducedby reducing thev length of eachV gusset plate." This 'is accomplished bycutting off portionspof uni- :frm ulength at the opposite ends'of each gusset plate.

l v'spaced .openings 10 areformed vin a plurality of diagonal members or struts 1l vat the opposite endsfjthereof. The 'diagonal members are constructed of any, ,suitable material2 .preferablyrsteeh and are preferably L-fshap'e in cross#section. Y j u' V@afterthe openings 9 and lrespectively have Vbeenformed in the `plates anddiagonal members7 the. chordM members are spaced apart theiproper distance to construct a truss ofl standard width. v.The diagonalmembers are theirarranged in pairs upon the gusset plates 7.50 that the openings 1 0registerWith the openings, 9.; The compression members are 'designated the numeral 12 andere angularly disposed to the chord members l lllfo'r other suitable securing means engage V,the openings 9 and 10 and rigidly secure the diagonal.members to the plates. is strengthened vfurther by securing vertical Whilethe tensioning members are designated bythe numeral 13 and are oppositelypdisposed tothe compression members. Bolts The truss Spaced openings 9` are thenV formed in eachgplate? and correspondingly struts 15 to the gusset plates and chord members at the opposite ends of the truss.

Vhile it is believed that from the fore- 'Y going description'the nature` and advantages fof Vthe linvention Will'be readily apparent,

I desire to have it Vunderstood `that I do not limitmyself to what is herein shown and described land that such vchanges may bei resorted to When desired as" vrfall AWithin thel scope of What is claimed. l What I claim as my invention 1s;

1. The method of forming ltrussed'strucuniform distance rapart and' securing web members toy said plates. l v

3. The method of Jorm'ing trussed`struc` tures comprising the slittingl of ablank to providev separate chord members-having in# tegral gusset plates, spacingV the chord mem"- bers a substantial uniform' distance @apart and securing Web members to said plates.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

' oHARLEsri; FORK.' 

